DO YOU remember in week two when I mentioned watching the other gym users complete a 30 minute rope and weight challenge that I was sure would probably kill me if I was ever foolish enough to attempt it?

Well not only did I attempt it but I finished it – and in kind of an alright time.

Cue mental jumping and leaping in the air as in reality my body was too exhausted to do anything other than crumple in a corner of the room.

But despite the fact that getting dressed in the morning has become a whole new painful ordeal as I struggle to lift my arms above my head, I can honestly say I don’t care because I managed to complete 30 minutes of non-stop exercise without resorting to tears.

Although I’m sure it still wasn’t very pretty to watch, especially as my face turned a deeper and darker shade of red whilst I rolled on the floor like a whale trying to get up from one of the rope pulls.

But who cares? Well, at least I didn’t at the start of the challenge when there was no-one in the gym other than me and Dion.

But even when four other people arrived – prompting my brain to cringe at the thought of complete strangers watching me exercise – my body told my brain to shut up and reminded it I would probably need witnesses to prove I had actually completed the challenge.

And although I spent the 10 minutes after I finished gasping for breath and chugging down a litre of water – once that initial recovery period was over I actually felt really good.

There is a sense of satisfaction in being able to do something your mind (and on many occasions your body and your friends) is telling you is unattainable.

I am still a very long way off from being able to do anything that impressive fitness wise.

I definitely still can’t hold my own weight for longer than half a second and the cargo rope has not gotten any easier in the last six weeks making it public enemy number one, but I can see my level of fitness and stamina has definitely improved.

Dion has already told me I should be looking to shave four minutes off my time during the next session and to be honest I feel that is a realistic aim.

I hope I’m not getting over confident as this could result in an awkward moment filled with me weeping tears of pain and failure during my next challenge attempt.

But don’t they say half the battle is mental?

And maybe now I know I can do this level of exercise for a longer period of time it will all become much easier to face. Or at least that’s what I’m hoping.